ERIKSON'S EIGHT

Erik Homburger Erikson

Born in 1902 in Frankfurt, Erik Erikson was a famous psychologist most noted for coining the phrase "identity crisis."
His fascination with identity may have bee spurred by his own personal experiences, as the circumstances of his birth were concealed to him during childhood as he was the product of an extramarital affair.
He is well known for his eight stages of psychosocial development, more commonly known as Erikson's Eight.

Basic Theory

Erikson hypothesized that every healthy developing human goes through eight principal stages.
Every person would need to meet the challenges of each stage and then move on to the next.
If somebody does not gain what they need from each stage, they will be lacking in what that area teaches for the rest of their lives.

Stages are reached and passed usually through age and growing and experiencing through life.
It may take some people longer to pass meet the criteria to reach the next stage and some people may never gain what they need from a certain stage.
Some may skip over a phase, which will affect the person later in life.

1. Hope

Birth-1 year of age
Infants form either a trusting or mistrusting outlook of the world based on the way their parents treat them
Infants depend on their caregivers to fulfill their basic needs.
If their parents consistently satisfy basic needs and show affection, the infant learns trust
Neglectful parents cause infant to have mistrusting outlook on life and the world

2. Will-

Toddlers 2-3 years
Able to explore surroundings
Parents’ encouragement helps foster independence and toddlers want to and begin to satisfy some of their own needs like feeding, dressing, and washing themselves
If parents demand too much too soon, or prevent them from performing tasks they are capable of performing themselves, the toddlers may develop shame and doubt about their ability to handle problems
"Can I do things by myself, or must I always rely on others?"

3. Purpose-

Preschool years
Children assert power/control over world
- Directing play
- Social interaction
Successful
- Feel capable
- Able to lead others
- Confident
Failure
- Little or no acquirement of skills
- Sense of guilt
- Self doubt
- Lack of initiative

4. Competence-

Early school years
Ages 5-11
Through social interactions, develop sense of pride
Accomplishments and abilities are praised/dismissed
Successful
- Receive encouragement regularly from parents/teachers/peers
- Feeling of competence
- Belief in skills
Failure
- No encouragement from peers/adult figures
- Doubt abilities
- Doubt successfulness of endeavors

5. Fidelity-

Passage from childhood to adulthood.
Ages 12-19 go through this phase.
Passage from childhood to adulthood.
Adolescents ponder roles they will play in the adult world.
Adolescents must re-establiish or "find themselves, a period of time called "the moratorium."
Often leads to role confusion (mixed ideas and feelings about one's conformity and role in society) and experimentation with a variety of behaviors and activities.
The "Identity Crisis" is the turning point in development, in which one contemplates 'the person they have come to be' and 'the person society expects them to become."

6. Love-

The sixth virtue, love, referred to that found in intimate relationships, at work, and with family.
Erikson stated that young adults would go through this phase.
The main questions of this phase were, "Am I loved and wanted?" and "Shall I share my life with someone or life alone?"
This stage occurs after one has accepted their identity; only then are they ready to accept sharing their lives with another.
If they cannot meet their own needs, then certain people may find it necessary to live a life of isolation.

7. Caring-

8. Wisdom-

According to Erikson, neurosis would be caused by failure to gain everything one needs from each of the stages.
For example, if a child watched his mother die when he was 5, he may not gain the initiative he needs from that stage. Because he is lacking severely in the areas stressed in the "purpose" stage, he may not have the initiative or ability to learn skills quickly that would be necessary for getting through life successfully.
What is important to understand here is that Erikson is not saying that people do not pass through phases, he is simply saying that if one does not get everything they need at each point, they will be deficient in those areas for the rest of their lives.